High voltage arc discharge flash tubes periodically or intermittently discharge a very high intensity between anodic and cathodic electrodes within a glass or quartz envelope having a fill of xenon gas, for example.
Thousands of volts are applied from high capacity storage condensers across the electrodes, but an arc does not strike easily unless triggered by ionizing the gas fill. Commonly ionization is triggered by a high voltage pulse (e.g. 6 Kilovolts) applied to a wire conductor wrapped around the envelope, or in some cases penetrating the envelope into the gaseous arc discharge volume.
With both wrapped or penetrating trigger wires a very high applied discharge voltage is required, resulting in the need for high voltage and expensive storage capacitors and slow and unreliable starting.
Accordingly, objects of the present invention are to provide a high voltage, arc discharge flash tube with an improved trigger conductor affording fast and reliable starting of the discharge arc at lowered applied voltages.